A Point, A Clean Sheet & A Small Ginger Dog

At 19:45 last night, after hearing the team news I would gladly have accepted a goalless draw & the single point that would offer. When you look at the opposition & the financial backing they've had & when you consider the utter turmoil we've suffered this season, then taking 2 points from them this season has to be considered positive. 

I couldn't help but feel a little deflated though, but for a positive change rather than the removal of creativity in Majewski & the introduction of the hard working Tudgay, we could have gone for the win, especially with the likes of McGugan & Miller sat on the bench. Seems Mr Cotterill was trying to add a little more steel to the team & as they we held onto the point, I guess we achieved our aim. In our position it's a gamble in every game whether you risk the single point to take 3. In fairness, in an away game against a play off chasing team, safeguarding the point was probably the safer option.
 
When you look at the millions spent this season by the ginger bin dippers this term, you have to say on the evidence on last nights game, they should be disturbed by the return they've had for the financial input, because they looked what their league position suggest they are, bang average.
 
Negative substitutions aside, this 0 - 0 draw saw us move 5 points clear of the relegation places & hit a 3 game unbeaten league run for only the second time this season & embarrassingly, avoiding defeat against Crystal Palace this Saturday will see us hit an unbeaten 4 match run for the first time this season.
 
Looking towards the Crystal Palace game, it's looks a much less daunting task than it did at the start of the year when they were just outside the play off place & ex red Dougie Freedman was looking like the the seasons surprise package. Now they are safe far earlier than they have enjoyed in recent years they seems to have taken their foot off the gas & have won just one of their last six games. This of course, is only the appetiser for the Bristol City home game the following weekend when much could be decided.

This Weekends Big Fixtures At The Bottom
Doncaster v Birmingham Friday

Cardiff City v Millwall Saturday

Bristol City v Derby Saturday

Crystal Palace v Forest Saturday

Hull City v Coventry Saturday

Peterborough v Leicester Saturday

Portsmouth v Burnley Saturday